Decreased urinary oestriol concentrations in pregnant women during hexamine hippurate treatment.

had no relevance to his illness. He was a non-pigmented normotensive man with an enlarged (6 cm below costal margin) firm non-tender liver, and was otherwise normal. Apart from minor abnormality of liver function tests the results of other relevant laboratory investigations were normal. The serum iron was 57 7 Mmol/l (322 Mg/100 ml) and 100 saturated transferrin. The resting electrocardiogram (ECG) showed S-T depression segments in standard leads II and III, and leads V5 and V6 wvith symmetrical T wave inversion in V5 and V6. Histological examination of a specimen obtained by liver biopsy showed established cirrhosis with heavy iron deposition within the hepatic cells and fibrous septa. Regular phlebotomy was undertaken. At 12 months (25 1 venesected) the patient continued to note angina on moderate exercise. His liver enlargement had decreased, the serum iron was 44 7 Mlmol/l (250 Mg/100 ml), and the resting ECG and liver function tests (LFT) were normal. At 30 months (60 1 venesected) he had no symptoms even on strenuous exercise, but mild hypochromic microcytic anaemia was present (Hb 10 g, dl, serum iron concentration 7 1 timoljl (39-7 Mg! 100 ml). This improvement has continued, apart from a period when he defaulted from treatment for 18 months, at which stage angina returned and again responded to venesection.